Demon's Shadow
by Kitsune-242
Summary: In this world, there are Demons. To fight off these Demons, there are Demon Hunters. Never before has there been a instant where Demons and Demon Hunters weren't trying to kill each other. But can two change that, soon enough to stop the war?
1. The Canine and the Master

Disclaimer: Alright. I don't own Bleach, but I DO own this idea, so please do not steal it. Why? Because this is coming from a _book_. And not just any book; a book that I've written, and is currently in the process of being sent to an editor. Yes, that's right, folks! If the editors and other people like my story, then Kitsune-242 shall become an official author! Hurrah for me! Anyway, if I DO get the story published at any point in time, I'll tell you all…because I have a feeling this will be winner, if I can just get the stupid thing to work right!

**Chapter 1**

**The Canine and the Master**

A woman scrambled down the road with her other friend following, their eyes wide in shock. They looked back to the giant monster that was storming after them, its reptilian tail scraping loudly against the ground. "Please, help us! Please!" The female with flowing red hair shouted, pulling her black-haired friend forward hurriedly. "Help!" She gasped, throwing herself against a window whose blinds were open. The couple behind the window pointed and talked quickly as they spotted the animal following the two, before closing the blinds quickly. The two females shrieked at the sight of the creature, and raced off.

"**You wont get away!" **The creature yelled, and then laughed openly into the night. **"The villagers know not to mess with me; you'll be the sacrifice like every other month!"** The two women crowded into an alley, then immediately noticed their mistake. But it was to late. The monster had already descended the stairs, and was in front of them, its scales reflecting the light, and its tail lashing behind it.

"I-I now know what it's like…" The black-haired woman whispered to her friend "…for the others caught outside on this night." The other woman nodded. The creature lunged.

"**YOU'RE MINE!" **_THWACK! _**"Who did that? WHO DID THAT?" **The creature yelled. _THWACK!_

"Back away from them, you horrid monster." Shouted a voice. The creature spun around, a snarl shooting from its muzzle, as it turned its silver eyes to where the moon cast shadows on the offender, making it look like a single silhouette. By the silhouette's make-up, it was an apparent, short female, with short hair that flared out at the shoulders, and thin arms and legs. In her hand was a third of a cement block; the last of the cement block that remained from the first two throws. Next to the female, crouched like a dog, was what appeared to either be a humanoid creature, or a human itself, with spiked hair, and if the person would stand up, would probably be pretty tall. What looked like a thick chain ran from the person's neck to the girl's right wrist.

"**Who are you?" **The creature growled in its deep voice.

"Your worst nightmare." The standing person said in her best creepy voice. The thing next to her made a strange scoffing sound, the sound almost resembling the word 'lame'. The girl hit the thing upside the head. A human hand left the ground and rubbed the spot on the thing's head that had been attacked. The lizard creature grinned.

"**You know what? I don't care who you are. These two women are mine to devour, and nothing, not even a Hunter, would take my meal away from me!"** The monster roared, and lunged to the women. They shrieked and covered each other's eyes. The standing girl sighed as a growl drifted through the air.

"You demons never learn." She muttered. "Sic." She said, and a chain clanking against itself drifted through the air.

_CRUNCH!_

All was silent, besides two sets of growls that seemingly fought for dominance. The two girls opened their eyes and gasped. In front of them, was the crouching creature, this time standing nearly straight. The clouds moved out of the way of the moon, casting light on the creature. It indeed _was _a human. It was a tall male with spiky orange hair. His sclera were black, and his irises were a bright, unnatural yellow. He simply wore tattered brown, baggy pants and no shirt, no shoes, and no socks. Around his throat, was a black metal collar with a thick black chain that ran to the wrist of the girl who still stood on top of the stairs. The boy had a long, deep cut on his left shoulder, blood streaming down his chest, while his hands held back the massive claws of the lizard demon. The lizard sniffed the air, then turned its eyes on the boy, before laughing hysterically.

"**That girl's a Hunter, and you're serving her? You're nothing like the almighty race that I've heard about; you're just a little attack puppy! Just roll over and play dead, Fido!" **The demon laughed. The orange-haired male growled through clenched fangs, and clenched his clawed hands on the claws that were digging into his hands.

"Don't…" The boy growled, and stepped forward. "Call…" He stepped forward again, this time forcing the Lizard back a few inches. "Me…" The boy's muscles in his arms strained as he gripped the Lizard's right arm, and lifted him clear off the ground. "FIDO!" The boy fell backwards, throwing all his weight back, and slammed the demon's back into the ground with a heavy thud. The boy jumped up, and took on a Karate stance, his eyes flashing in the moonlight.

"Something's not right about that boy." The black-haired woman whispered to her friend as the boy and Lizard battled it out; the Lizard lunging and slashing, and the boy using his smaller and thinner body to twist out of the way, only getting cut by long claws and sharp scales every so often, when he couldn't slide out of the attack's path.

"What do you mean?" The other woman whispered.

"Just look at him! The way he moves, his eyes, and his looks altogether! It cant be natural!" The first woman hissed.

"Hurry up, you dog!" Shouted the female on the steps, and while the boy turned a snarl on the girl, the demon lunged, and cut a long gash on the boy's chest, blood splattering the ground as he flew back and skid on the ground. "Is there _nothing _you can do right?" The girl spat at the orange-haired boy on the ground. The boy, in turn, opened his eyes, which began to glow.

"You know…" His rough voice called, a low growl rumbling in his throat. "…I don't see _you _doing this crap. And you're the Hunter, not me. I'm not your familiar, so back the hell off, you midget bitch!" The boy snarled. He climbed to his bare, scarred feet, a scowl on his face. The boy looked down to his chest to where the gash was, and his eye twitched as he noticed that the injury went right over a crescent moon with a paw print in the middle of the crescent, in the center of his chest. "…you bastard." The boy sighed, looking up at the lizard. "You know what this was?" The boy's body began to take a strange look to it, making it look more…animalistic. "It was part of my Clan Mark, you idiot!" With a loud crack and a flash as bright as lightning, the boy was gone. And in his place, was a wolf the size of a horse. The wolf was almost completely black, except for its legs and underbelly, along with his throat and bottom jaw, and the bottom half of his tail, which were all tan-white. The wolf had a spiky main of orange fur, with bangs falling over and around its eyes, and ran down its neck, becoming thinner and to a point down its back, until connecting with the end of its tail. Around the wolf's throat, over the metal collar, was a red-chain collar. His long, black claws stuck out of his massive paws, and his long tail lashed. The crescent-paw mark that had been on his chest, was now on his hind leg near where it joined with his body. The two women gasped.

"Wolf demon!" They said in unison. The wolf snarled, and stomped a foot. The Lizard Demon cowered under the giant shadow of the wolf.

"**Please, I just wanted a meal! You understand bloodlust, don't you? You're a demon to! You understand, right?" **The demon begged. The Wolf's black and yellow eyes narrowed. Yet he didn't move.

"Dog, if you don't kill that thing _now_, then _you're _going to be the demon lying dead in the dirt!" The girl barked from the stairs. The wolf glowered at the girl, but turned back to the other demon.

"**Sorry."** He said, his voice morphed horribly from before, his voice coming out as a guttural growl. **"But I cant die yet."** The wolf lifted an arm, and then slashed down, his long claws passing right through the demon, turning said demon to dust in the wind. The wolf narrowed his eyes, and in another crack and flash, he stood as a human again. But this time, he had his black wolf ears in his orange hair, and his black and tan tail coming from his spine. The orange-haired boy turned with a saddened expression to the pile of dust that had once been the demon. "Sorry, Lizard-san. But I still have unfinished business." The boy turned his eyes turned the two cowering girls. "You alright?" He asked. The black-haired woman slid shakily in front of the other.

"S-stay a-away from u-us." She stuttered. The boy rolled his eyes, but soon found his eyes rolling again as he was slapped across the face roughly by the girl that he was chained to. The boy slid on his back a few feet away from the girl, but didn't get back up. He just fixed his hard eyes on the girl, and a growl rumbled from his throat.

"I'm sorry if the _Dog_ frightened you; he's still in obedience training." The girl said. "I'm Kuchiki Rukia; I'm a Demon Hunter. What're your names?"

"Tatsuki." The black-haired woman responded.

"Orihime." The other said.

"Well then. I'm sorry you had to get mixed up in this. Demons are a tricky business." Rukia said.

"If you don't mind me asking…if you're a Demon Hunter, then why're you marching around with a Wolf?" Tatsuki asked. Rukia looked over to the boy, who still lay on the ground, his blood turning the dirt under him maroon, with evident disdain.

"He owes me his life." Rukia answered. "What better way then help me with exterminating vermin?"

"What? I do not owe you my life! You just thought it'd be funny to drag me around on a chain as use me as a Slaving Weapon!" The boy yelled with anger lacing his words.

"See? I pulled you away from a devilish life, and gave you a better existence." Rukia said. The boy's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything.

"So then what's the Wolf's name?" Orihime asked, trying not to sound afraid.

"Name? Demons don't have names, Orihime-san. I just call him Mutt or Dog. It doesn't matter." Rukia said, waving her hand in dismissal. She jerked on the chain, wrenching the boy forward on the ground. He grunted, but took the hint, and stood up, slouching lightly, and his tail twitching in angry submission. "Well, I'd better be off. Be careful around demons. Mutt! Respect your superiors." Rukia growled, kicking the boy's ankle. He grunted and stumbled, but turned to Orihime and Tatsuki, and bowed deeply, bending at his waist. He straightened and lurched forward as Rukia jerked on the chain again. He turned his hard, angry eyes to the two girls, and his gaze softened. He mouthed:

"Sorry for getting you mixed up in this."

He then stumbled off behind Rukia, blood still rolling from his wounds.

_**:::In the Forest:::**_

Rukia sighed happily from inside her thick tent, a fire casting shadows on the walls as it poured outside. Inside the tent, was a blazing fire, a roasting boar, and comfortable bedding. And where was the Wolf Demon during all this, as the rain fell like ice-hard needles? He was outside, chained to a tree with only three feet to move in any direction. He lay on the cold ground, his tail wrapped tightly around his waist to try and give him some form of warmth. His pants were already drenched, and his orange hair was plastered to his head. His blood, mixing with the rain, dripped down from his body, and ran into all the puddles around him red with blood, making the water unfit to drink, leaving him with nothing to wet his dry throat. His eyes were closed as he was curled in a ball, trying to preserve some heat within his body. The fur on his tail and ears were drenched, further stealing heat from his body. _How the hell did I get mixed up in all this shit? Stupid Hunter…_ The boy thought as a thick drop of water dropped on his face. No food, no water, freezing, drenched, and injured; it wasn't a new thing, but it wasn't something he exactly enjoyed, either.

Suddenly, shocking warmth drooped over his body. It was so sudden, in fact, that the boy yelped with shock, and jumped, only to hiss in pain as a rock dug into an open wound on his right arm. The boy reached up, and grabbed the object that had offered him dryness and warmth. "A blanket?" He muttered, and sat up. He looked behind him, to where Tatsuki and Orihime stood under two umbrellas. Orihime was shifting her feet nervously, and Tatsuki looked apprehensive. He held up part of the blanket. "What's this?" He asked.

"A blanket. I thought you would already know that. Or was Kuchiki-san right when she stated that demons are dumb?" Tatsuki asked. The boy shot her a glare, but soon faltered, and sighed.

"No, we're not idiots. I was just asking why you gave it to me." The boy said.

"Because. Even if you _are _a demon, you still saved our lives. We took pity on you, nothing more." Tatsuki said. The boy glowered at Tatsuki.

"I don't need your pity." He snarled.

"And yet here you are, gripping the blanket for your life." Tatsuki said. The boy blinked with shock, and looked at his hands, whose claws had punctured the thick yellow cloth.

"Oh. Sorry." He muttered. He lifted the blanket back towards the two. "But I don't need you to pity me. I'm perfectly happy out here." Tatsuki raised an eyebrow.

"And you're shivering with joy, then?" She questioned. The boy blinked, and turned away, crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest.

"Shut up." He growled. "Why are you even out here? I thought that after that Lizard Demon attacked you, you two would have headed back to your homes." Orihime and Tatsuki shuffled nervously on their feet.

"Well…we…kinda liked what we saw you do…and…we wanted to become Demon Hunters to." Orihime responded. The boy scowled.

"That's just what we demons need. More Hunters to go around killing us off." He sighed. "Well, it's not like I care. We all gotta die eventually. If you want to be a Hunter, ask the Midget Bitch what the hell you need to do. I don't know any of the shit." Suddenly, the rain stopped drilling into the top of his head, making the boy look up with squinted eyes. Orihime stood over him, holding the umbrella over his head and smiling cheerfully.

"You seem nicer then what I thought demons would be." Orihime crouched down, still holding the umbrella. The orange-haired Wolf raised an eyebrow.

"You cant _honestly _say that you're not the least bit afraid of me." He said.

"…no, I cant. I _am _afraid of you, but that's human instinct; to fear that which is the slightest bit different, and stand in awe before that which can not be explained(…yup…a line from the first Bleach episode EVER! To bad it was Rukia who first said it…). And having a bit of childhood trauma with demons doesn't help either; you see, when I was a little girl, and I lived on a farm with only my family, a pack of demons rushed onto the fields when my mother, father, and older brother were working on them. The demons slaughtered my family, and would have killed me to, if it wasn't for Tatsuki's family scaring the demons off. So yes, I _am _afraid of you, but you're different then other demons I've seen, and heard, about. It makes me proud to know a kind demon." Orihime said. The wolf scoffed.

"Kind. Pft. I _can _be…when I want to be." He muttered. "Anyway, since I already know your guys's names, and it appears we're going to be traveling together for a while, it only seems fit that you know my name as well."

"We already know your name. It's-" Tatsuki began, but was cut off.

"That's not my name!" The demon snapped, his ears flattening to his drenched head, and a scowl turned in her direction. "It's just the name that the Midget gave me because she thinks she's all high-and-mighty because she's a damn noble that became a Demon Hunter without having to buy her way in! My name's not Mutt or Dog, it's Kuro-" The boy cut himself off, and then changed the word he was initially speaking. "-Palak Ichigo of the Northern Territory."

"Oh? So demons _do _have names?" Tatsuki asked, looking intrigued.

"Most do." The Wolf, Ichigo, muttered. "You two had better head into the tent; this forest is teeming with demons that would happily eat you." Tatsuki grinned down at the chained demon.

"Like you?" She asked. Ichigo glared, his eyes narrowing, but a small amount of mirth hidden within his wolfish eyes.

"Oh hah hah." He drawled. "You guys are _sooo_ funny." Tatsuki continued to grin, while Orihime giggled lightly. "But I'm serious. There's plenty of demons out here."

"Awe. Is the big bad wolf worrying about two humans?" Called a voice. Ichigo looked over to Rukia, who had pulled aside a flap on her tent, and was grinning smugly at the orange-haired Wolf. Ichigo's eyes narrowed at Rukia, but his ears flattened to his soaked hair, and he lowered his body slightly, his eyes narrowing further. His hands clenched on the saturated dirt, his claws slicing right through the mud with almost no resistance. A sudden feral grin spread across his face, and Rukia faltered, if only for a second.

"Nah." He said in a low, growling, gruff voice. "But I'm a _demon_, aren't I? If they were to get attacked, and I were still chained to this tree, then I wouldn't get any food either, would I?" Rukia scowled at the Demon, and then kicked a large rock at him, hitting him square in the forehead. He lurched back, an inhuman, wolf-like yelp escaping his throat involuntarily as his head shot back and hit the tree behind him. Blood leaked from the two new cuts on his head; one on his forehead, and one on the back of his head. Ichigo slumped to the ground, his eyes swimming from the sudden, shocking pain, and at the prospect of losing all his blood. And that blood prospect was extremely likely. "Ow." Ichigo deadpanned, his voice hidden behind a ruff growl. Rukia grinned with superiority, and turned to Tatsuki and Orihime.

"Why don't you two come into my tent? If you really want to be Demon Hunters, you have to travel with an experienced one to see what its like and get first-hand experience. We can travel to an outpost of the Hunters and get you some proper weapons and such. Come! I'm sure you don't want to stand outside in the freezing rain!" Rukia said cheerfully with a friendly smile. Orihime looked to Ichigo, who was rubbing his forehead while grumbling to himself.

"But what about-"

"The Mutt?" Rukia asked, a frown creasing her once-smiling face. "He's a Demon! He's used to being outside when it rains! After all, he did grow up and _animal_." She sneered.

"Don't worry." Ichigo called from the tree that he was bound to. "The blanket is more then enough." Rukia stormed forward, and snatched the blanket away from Ichigo.

"Demons don't get to use blankets." She growled, and carefully folded the blanket back up, and handed it to Tatsuki. "I'm sorry, he must have stolen it." Rukia turned a smug smile to Ichigo. "Besides, the _demon _doesn't deserve to be warm." Ichigo grinned slyly at her, and the sound of cracking came from within his body. With a flash of light, Ichigo sat as a giant wolf, once again easily being bigger then a large horse.

"**Let's see you take away **_**this **_**blanket, you Midget Bitch."** Ichigo said in his guttural voice. Rukia scowled at the demon, but marched away, and into her tent. Ichigo curled up under the cover of the tree, his tail coming to a rest near his nose, and his large paws and long legs curled beneath him. His ears lay flat on his head as he closed his eyes, and his breathing slowly evened. Tatsuki and Orihime slowly edged their way past the giant wolf, and slid into the shelter of the tent.

_**:::The Next Day:::**_

After being rudely kicked awake(by Rukia), Ichigo was forced to start the fire(by Rukia), clean up the campsite(by Rukia), cook the food(by Rukia), and then kicked four times for the food being one degree to warm and 'burning' her tongue(by Rukia). And, of course, he was forced to saddle an albino Thoroughbred horse named Shirayuki. But he didn't exactly seem to hate this. In fact, he was smiling light as he pet the powerful horse's neck. Every time Shirayuki would snort, neigh, or do any type of sound, Ichigo would respond. And this intrigued Orihime and Tatsuki greatly.

Shirayuki snorted, and bucked her head. "Yeah, I guess…not that much fun, but at least you got a type of crude shelter!" Ichigo protested as he worked on doing a buckle for Shirayuki's saddle that went around her underbelly. The horse twitched an ear and breathed out heavily. Ichigo's ears, in turn, swiveled around backwards in his orange hair. "Yeah, well it was cold! Even my fur didn't stop me from feeling _that_." Ichigo mumbled. Shirayuki swished her tail loudly. "Well, I beg to differ! Hail _does _hurt! A lot!" Ichigo said, recoiling. Shirayuki seemed to raise an eyebrow, and neighed lightly. "Have _you _ever had to sleep on the cold ground while being pelted with hail the size of my fist?" Ichigo asked, holding up a clenched fist for a demonstration. Shirayuki looked away and clicked her large, rectangular teeth together without opening her mouth, giving the sound a hollow feel to it. "I thought not." Ichigo laughed, and then jumped back lightly, putting his hands on his hips. "There. They to tight?" Ichigo asked. Shirayuki shifted on her paws, and then snorted, looking down to the base of her neck, where a strap was drawn across her chest. "Really? Okay." Ichigo said, and walked forward. His hands fumbled with the straps. "They're almost completely undone already!" A sly grin spread across Ichigo's face. "Maybe you're just gettin' fat." Shirayuki suddenly pent down, and clamped her teeth on Ichigo's left wolf ear, and pulled. "Ow ow ow ow ow! Alright alright! You're not fat! Let go of my ear!" Shirayuki parted her large lips and neighed loudly. "Alright! I'll talk to the Midget Bitch and see if you can get a new saddle and reins! Now let go!" Ichigo said. Shirayuki opened her mouth, letting Ichigo fall back and rub his ear. The white horse just bobbed her head happily, and went back to grazing. "Stupid horse." Shirayuki looked over to Ichigo with her blue eyes. Her ears lay flat against the back of her head. "Nothing!" Ichigo quickly said, and backed as far as the chain would allow him to go from the tree he was currently chained to.

Orihime and Tatsuki carefully approached the grumbling demon, and Tatsuki cleared her throat. Ichigo looked up to her, the permanent scowl on his face softening slightly. "There something you need?" He asked. Tatsuki shook her head, smiling slightly.

"We were just wondering if…uh…if you could…um…speaktohorses." She said quickly at the end. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, and thought for a couple of seconds, before finally separating the words and understanding. He nodded.

"Well, yeah. Shirayuki and I have been traveling together for a long time, and I picked up on the language. It's not that hard to speak, and she understands Wolf tongue and Japanese to, so its no big deal." Shirayuki stomped a hoof where she was grazing, causing Ichigo to look over to her and nod. "She says that her Wolf tongue is still a little rusty, since the language of any demon is hard to comprehend for a normal animal, but it's enough to be able to hold a short conversation with one."

"What _is_…um…Wolf tongue?" Orihime asked. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the other question.

"Mainly just barks, howls, yelps, yips, tail-twitching and ear-turning. That type of crap. Horses have snorts and neighs, stomping and teeth-clicking…oh, and tail-swishing and ear movements." Ichigo responded.

"Do you know any other types of languages?" Tatsuki asked, crouching down near the sitting Wolf.

"Animal or Human?" Ichigo asked.

"Animal." Tatsuki confirmed.

"Well…almost all Demon languages…then Horse, Fox, Bird, Deer, Rat, Mice, Fish, Dog, Cat, Rabbit…and a few others that I cant remember. Cow is one of them, I think." Ichigo replied, counting off on his fingers. "It's easier to tell what you can speak when you're actually facing speaking it." Orihime began to jump up and down, clapping excitedly, causing the Wolf to recoil with wide eyes.

"Do you think you can teach me how to speak a few of the languages? Please? Please please please please please?" Orihime said. Ichigo blinked rapidly, and stood up.

"Um…maybe a little bit from a few of them…it's harder for Humans to learn how to speak different Animalistic Languages. It's all based on looking at the animal, seeing how they behave, and paying attention to others who can speak that language." Ichigo looked over to the albino horse. "Oi, Shirayuki! What do you think? Should I teach them how to speak to horses?" Shirayuki snorted and tossed hear head. "Well _excuse me _for wanting your opinion! They're going to be talking to you to, you know! You're the only horse here!" Shirayuki swished her tail, her ears twisting sideways. "Yeah but you'll still _be _there! It doesn't matter if they're there as well!" Ichigo protested. Shirayuki twitched her left shoulder. "…that's it, I'm done talking to you! I'm teaching them and you're gonna be happy having two more people to talk t- …you were planning on that, werent you." Shirayuki bobbed her head, a type of grin going across her face. "…man…yeah, Shirayuki agrees that I should teach you to speak to horses, since you're going to be riding around on one a lot."

"Mutt! Is Shirayuki saddled up?" Rukia called as she walked into the clearing, a bag slung over her shoulder.

"Yeah." Ichigo growled, and muttered a string of curses under his breath afterwards. She threw the bag at the Wolf, who just managed to keep it from hitting the ground.

"Put that on her back." She ordered. As Ichigo secured the pack to Shirayuki's back, Rukia turned to the two human women. "You two are going to have to ride on Shirayuki behind me. Is that okay?" Rukia asked.

"Yeah…but where's he gonna sit?" Orihime asked, pointing to Ichigo, who appeared to be deeply engrossed in a conversation with Shirayuki about different styles of saddles, and the one that she would favor the most.

"Who, the Mutt? He's going to run alongside us; he's not allowed to have the luxury of riding on a Horse. Especially not one as good as Shirayuki." Rukia replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He's not as bad as you keep making him out to be, you know; he's really nice." Orihime said softly. Rukia narrowed her eyes in Ichigo's direction.

"That's just what he wants you to think. He's horrible, and you're just going to have to figure that out that hard way." Rukia muttered. She suddenly smiled cheerfully. "Well, let's not keep the others at the outpost waiting!" Rukia jogged over to Shirayuki with the other two following, and swung herself on. She nudged Shirayuki forwards, and undid the cuff that usually went around her wrist, which was holding the chain securely to a tree, and snapped it back around her wrist. She yanked on the chain, causing Ichigo to stumble. "Come on, Dog." She called, and spurred Shirayuki into a fast-paced gallop, with Ichigo keeping up right alongside them.

That was the length of the actual chapter. It was around 13 pages, I think, and has 27,526 words in it. I hope that's enough for the first chapter. If you guys liked it, review or do something and tell me that you did, and I'll work on updating this while I work on Vulpes Alveus and whatnot. Thanks for reading this far! Oh, and before I forget! On my DeviantArt profile, I have a picture of what I Ichigo looks like in Wolf Form. My profile name is Kitsune-242(Everything is on EVERYTHING I do!), and the picture has a 'creative' name. Kurosaki Ichigo. Yeah, aint that creative? Here's the link, though. .com/?q=Kurosaki%20Ichigo%20Wolf&order=9&offset=72/d2tfkkk If you put that in your web address bar, it should bring you right to the picture. I worked a while on the pic, and I apologize if it turned out funky, but people said it was good. Go take a look if you want!

_~Kitsune-242_


	2. The Hogyoku

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Here's the second chapter. It's 2:35 a.m. right now, so I'm REALLY tired…um…his chapter is a little like a filler, and a little like a main chapter, so I cant exactly tell you how much action will be in this chapter. **_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**The Hogyoku**_

_**:::On the Road to Kyoto:::**_

Ichigo stifled a laugh as Orihime was once again knocked to the ground as she struggled to train by fighting against Rukia. Even though he hated her, he had to admit; that midget could fight. The day before, the group had stopped off at Hunter Headquarters to instate Tatsuki and Orihime into their ranks. And now, dressed in black shihakusho, they could truly be called Demon Hunters. Every time Ichigo looked at them, he felt a pang of anger pierce his heart. But he would quickly get rid of that anger. Currently, Ichigo was chained to a tree, with Shirayuki standing drowsily next to him. Tatsuki, who had been fighting against Rukia for the past half an hour, sat not to far off, breathing heavily as she tried to recover her energy. Considering their mission, the two new Hunters had to get all the training they could get. _…our mission…_ Ichigo thought as the details of their current mission went through his mind.

Between Demons and Humans, was a very fine line. And because of this, there were two weapons that controlled this line. One was the Sogyoku; it was a weapon of the Humans that could be used to kill many demons at once. The other was the Hogyoku; it was the weapon of the Demons and held vast powers. The Hogyoku, unlike its twin, did not kill many humans at once. Instead, it erased the line between human and demon, and turned humans and demons into half breeds. Because of this power, Humans and Demons constantly debated who should own it. Humans wanted it so they could keep demons in line, and have something to threaten the race of powerful animals with. Demons wanted it because it was their oldest artifact. Humans, finally seeing that they couldn't get the demons to hand over the Hogyoku, decided to send squads of Hunters after it. Ichigo, Rukia, Tatsuki, and Orihime had been sent after it, just like many other Hunters. The Head Hunter, Shigekuni Genryuusai Yamamoto, had sent Ichigo along with high hopes, thinking that a Demon would be able to find the Hogyoku better then any Hunter. And so, this was their mission.

They had heard rumors that a group of Demons was currently hiding out in Kyoto, and they had the Hogyoku with them. That was their destination, and Rukia thought that she would be a fool if they didn't get there before others did. And as a result, she had been pushing Shirayuki, Ichigo, Tatsuki's black male horse Kage, and Orihime's silver female horse Hoshi to run faster and longer ever since they had left, with few stops for water and food. When they _did _stop, Shirayuki, Kage, and Hoshi were allowed to graze and drink, while Ichigo was chained to a tree with no food or water. Of course, this didn't bother him, since Shirayuki would sneak strips of meat from Rukia's pack, and bring a cloth full of water for him.

Because the Hogyoku was a Demon's weapon, Ichigo could nearly constantly sense it. It's power drew all demons closer to it, for the energy it radiated promised any who owned it great power. But there were two problems; one, Ichigo didn't want to help the Humans find the Hogyoku. He believed that the only race that could even _handle _the Hogyoku was the Demons. The other problem…even though he could sense it, he couldn't pinpoint it's exact location. In other words…it was like looking for a pebble in a dark mansion.

"Hey, Ichigo!" Tatsuki said, waving her hand in front of the Wolf's face. Ichigo blinked with wide eyes, and looked over to Tatsuki.

"When'd you get there?" He asked. Tatsuki stared with a blank expression.

"I've been here nearly the entire time! You zoned out!" Tatsuki answered. Ichigo smirked inwardly, but just shrugged. "Hey, do you know how long it'll be until we reach Kyoto?" Tatsuki asked.

"At the rate we're going? We'll get there tomorrow. Why? Not liking the traveling?" Ichigo asked, cocking his head.

"Uh, no, that's not it. I'm getting to tired!" The human girl complained. Ichigo choked in a laugh.

"_You're _tired? Shirayuki, Kuro, and Hoshi are the ones that are running while you guys sit on their backs. They should be the ones that are tired." Ichigo responded. Tatsuki opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it, looking a little confused. "Try another one." Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest, smirking at the girl.

"…uh…Saddle Sores?" Tatsuki offered. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at her. "Alright! I'm not used to all the traveling yet! We've been riding almost nonstop, and I'm used to being able to sit in a chair and just stare at a wall." Tatsuki admitted. Ichigo chuckled.

"Well, you're going to have to get used to it, since we're going after the Hogyoku." Ichigo sighed. Tatsuki sat down calmly next to the Demon-Boy.

"So…what exactly _is _the Hogyoku?" Tatsuki asked.

"Well…like how the Hunters and Humans have the Sogyoku, we Demons have the Hogyoku. The Hogyoku can, basically, break down the wall between the Demons and the Humans, and turn both races into half breeds. After a while, the wall that separates the person's Demon side and Human side will begin to fade, and the Human will turn into a Demon, and the Demon into a Human. But if the person who's being changed can get the Hogyoku to reverse the process, then they can either return to their original self, or become a permanent half breed." Ichigo explained. "There's a legend that goes along with the Hogyoku. It's said, that 1,000 years ago, a little Demon child was running through the forest, chasing a glowing black and red bird. While he was chasing that bird, he did not notice the Hunters that were following him. They wanted to kill the young Demon, and they didn't care that he was such as small child. The Demon Child had just gotten the bird to land on his finger…when the Hunters attacked. They attempted to kill the boy…before suddenly, the bird, which had been watching the entire time, glowed even brighter then before. The bird grew and grew, until it was the size of the Demon Child himself. The bird was the first Demon that had ever been born! The bird wrapped its wings around the boy, and in a flash, the bird was gone. But the Demon Boy had gained powers nobody had ever seen before. And before the Hunters could react…the Demon Boy used his newfound powers, and compressed them into a small sphere…and named it the Hogyoku." Ichigo said. "The life force of the Hunters in the radius of seventy meters was taken, leaving them an empty husk, and this life force was morphed into a giant spear, and this spear was named the Sogyoku. The Demons, discovering that the Sogyoku had the power to kill Demons easily, abandoned the Sogyoku to the Humans with little interest, but took the Hogyoku from the boy. For the past 1,000 years, groups of demons have taken turns, running the Hogyoku from one location to the other, changing location every 10 years." Ichigo then sighed after the long tale. "And that's the tale of the Hogyoku."

"Wow…one-_thousand _years…" Tatsuki said in awe. "That's a _long _time…"

"Not to us demons. It's actually a short amount of time. Now the first Demon…_he's _the _really _old one." Ichigo chuckled, before wincing as a sudden pounding pain throbbed in the right side of his head. He laughed mentally. _Gomen, gomen. _He chuckled. "And not old like 'Cavemen Years'. We're talking 'Dinosaur Years'."

"But…still…what happened to the Demon Bird?" Tatsuki asked.

"The Phoenix? Some say that the Boy had taken the soul of the Phoenix and turned it into the Hogyoku. Others say the Bird merged with the boy. Others say that, since the Sogyoku's Soul is that of a Fire Bird, that the Phoenix was the one turned into the Sogyoku, and the boy was turned into the Hogyoku. Nobody really knows for sure. The tale has changed much in the minds of the ones who weren't involved." Ichigo responded.

"So then the legend you told me was just another version of it, and not what happened _exactly_?" Tatsuki asked. Ichigo blinked, and looked at the girl out of the corner of his eyes. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"…right." He said unconvincingly.

"Oi! Mutt!" Rukia barked from where she stood, helping up a downed Orihime. Ichigo looked up with annoyance in his eyes. "Round up the horses! We're leaving!" Rukia ordered. Ichigo sighed, but stood up anyway. He offered his hand to Tatsuki, who happily took it, and allowed the Wolf to pull her a few inches off the ground, before letting her fall to her feet.

"Get ready to leave." Ichigo said as he clicked his tongue three times. The three horses trotted over to him, and allowed him to tighten their saddles onto their backs. "We need Mikazuki here." Ichigo muttered to Shirayuki, who swished her tail and snorted. "He's nice, you know. I'm not the only nice one." Shirayuki stared at Ichigo with a blank look. "Well, I'm nice enough!" Ichigo grunted as he struggled to get Kage to take the bit of the bridle in his mouth; Kage was one of the younger, rebellious types, instead of calm and obedient, like Shirayuki. Ichigo held the horses steady as their riders climbed onto their saddles, then waited with an angry glare as Rukia unhooked the chain from the tree, and reattached the metal cuff around her wrist. With a flash and a crack, Ichigo stood in his wolf form, his tail flicking impatiently. Rukia nudged Shirayuki forward, and within seconds, the four animals were racing down the road, the horses with their riders, and Ichigo with a few bags strapped to his back and side. _I'm not their pack animal, damn it! Why couldn't they get another horse for this job? Kentai would _love _this job…but they wouldn't love Kentai. _Ichigo thought absentmindedly to himself, thinking of the Horse demon that had been a friend to him since he was in his pup years. Technically, he still _was _a pup; just an older, larger pup. The Wolf released a quiet sigh from his massive lungs as he followed Shirayuki at her left side, just a few feet from being neck-and-neck with her. The sun was already beginning to go down; it looked like another all-night run was coming up.

_**:::The Next Day, Kyoto:::**_

Ichigo groaned to himself as his feet ached when they touched the ground. After running throughout the night, the horses had been left in a stable at the entrance of Kyoto to rest and get food and water, while Ichigo had been forced to come with the others to carry anything and everything they needed. And because of this, he had a bag slung over his shoulder, and one tied to his back. _Even in human form I'm a pack animal! _Ichigo snapped in his thoughts, then hissed as insane laughter went through his head. The crowd, at first, stayed clear of Ichigo, for the black wolf ears, and the wolf tail. But once they noticed how he was dressed as a slave, and had a metal collar and a chain around his neck, the crowd began to fill back in, yet stared at Ichigo with disgust. Whispers were going through the crowds of people, and a little kid had even thrown something at him. Rukia sneered at the Wolf, while Tatsuki and Orihime looked sorry for him. Ichigo, on the other hand, didn't care much. For the years that he had spent with Rukia, this was close to nothing.

"What are we even looking for?" Orihime asked innocently.

"Any Demons or Humans that we can question." Rukia responded, her eyes darting back and forth through the crowd. Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he sensed the familiar aura of a batch of snake demons. He growled angrily, making a few in the crowd skitter away from him.

"What is it, Mutt?" Rukia asked over her shoulder, looking slightly interested. Ichigo pointed off to his right.

"Snake demons. In that shop. There." Ichigo responded. Rukia nodded, and walked into the wooden building. She looked around as the other three crowded in after her. Suddenly, a man shouted, the sound being low and angry.

"We don't serve his kind here!" The owner of the shop snapped, pointing at Ichigo with disdain on his face. Rukia smirked at Ichigo, before looking back to the man.

"Don't worry. He wont be touching anything. He's my pet, and a good little mutt at that." Rukia said with a sickeningly-sweet smile. Ichigo snarled quietly at the girl, but didn't say anything. The owner's hand twitched towards a sword at his belt.

"Fine. You have two minutes." The man growled, and stormed off to calm a frantic mother. Rukia turned to Ichigo.

"You heard that man. Where's the other demons?" Rukia ordered. Ichigo narrowed his eyes, but looked around the shop, his wolf ears twitching. Each Demon, even in human form, had a strange sound when walking. Demons that had pads on their paws had quiet footsteps, all sounding different in some small, almost unnoticeable way. Snakes and Dragons had quiet whisking sounds, like scales scraping against the ground softly. Ichigo waited, before:

"There. Group of three, to the left, four feet." Ichigo said, pointing without even looking. And when he turned, indeed, there stood three people, two tall and skinny and the other short, with sharp, retracting fangs in their mouths. Rukia strode forward quickly, and grabbed the smallest one, and looked to the taller two. She smirked at the shock in their eyes at seeing a Hunter.

"You three will be coming with us. And if you don't, I will cut you down where you stand." Rukia ordered lowly.

"What if we don't want to? You don't scare us, Hunter." The tall male sneered, even though he was eyeing the smaller one with a protective gleam. Ichigo cleared his throat, and walked up to the three.

"I'm sorry, Snakes. You seem like nice demons…" Ichigo said in the strange language that Demons snakes spoke. To him and the Snakes, it sounded like words. To other humans, it sounded like strange hissing that was coming from behind a wall. "…but we need you three to come with us. I promise as a Wolf Demon, that I wont let this Midget Bitch harm you." Ichigo promised, cracking a small smile. The female looked between the small boy and the tall man.

"We don't care about what happens to us…just as long as our son is okay. He was the only one who hatched out of the four eggs that we've had…" The female Snake said. Ichigo looked down to the little boy, before crouching in front of him.

"Don't worry. You, your mom, and your dad wont be harmed." Ichigo said, before looking up at the two Adult Snakes. "Will you come with us?" He asked.

"We will come with you." The two said. Ichigo sighed in relief, before standing up, and looking to Rukia.

"They'll come with us." Ichigo said, nodding. Rukia spun around with a huff, and strutted importantly out of the shop. Ichigo was jerked along not after, and the three Snakes followed next to him, with the little Snake hatchling clinging to his side.

"Why do you let her push you around?" The mother Snake whispered to Ichigo. The Wolf opened his mouth, ready to reply, before pausing, and closing his mouth.

"…I have no idea…" He replied, causing the two older Demons to laugh. "Probably because of this chain around my neck. If I do something she thinks is out of line, or is 'To high for a miserable like me', then this damn collar tightens around my throat and chokes me. Disobeying her…not a good idea." Ichigo muttered. The two nodded in understanding.

"What does she want us for anyway?" The father paused. "It _is _a she, right?" He asked. Ichigo nodded.

"The Hunters are after the Hogyoku." Ichigo whispered to them. The three Snakes let their eyes widen; apparently even the little boy knew.

"The Hunters want _our _artifact? They cant do that! We already allowed them to keep the Sogyoku!" The father hissed in anger and annoyance. "Humans just don't know when to back off!"

"I agree." Ichigo sighed. "And…I know something they _don't _know." Ichigo said, then whispered to the three something that nobody but a Demon of the Snake race could understand. The Snakes eyes widened again.

"Are you serious? The Hogyoku…is like that?" The little boy asked. Ichigo nodded down to the boy, and rubbed his head.

"Yes, it is. Even if they found it, it wouldn't matter. Besides…we Demons wont take that. If they find it, that is. It's like trying to fine a chipped marble in a lake of perfect marbles. It wont be found, but it's fun to watch people freak out over finding it." Ichigo said. The Snakes nodded in understanding as they were led into a patch of trees. Rukia suddenly whirled, and pulled out her sword, and pointed it at the Snakes.

"Now. I want you three to tell me anything you know about where the Hogyoku is in Kyoto, or I'll slice you all to pieces." Rukia growled.

"We've heard rumors that the Hogyoku was being carried by a group of Cat demons. Why don't you search for those?" The father suggested, his eyes narrowing to slits as he stared at Rukia.

"You know more then that." Rukia said, pushing her sword forward a little more, towards the small hatchling. Ichigo's fists clenched as he watched silently.

"No, we don't." The mother hissed. Rukia suddenly grabbed the small boy again, and held the tip of her sword to the side of his head.

"Tell me, or this kid gets a sword through the head." Rukia ordered lowly. Ichigo suddenly reached forward, and grabbed the sword in his right hand. With a sizzling sound, the palm of his hand and his fingers turned red, and with a quiet snap, half of Rukia's sword snapped right off, having been melted in half.

"Stop." He growled, throwing the sword half behind him. He turned to the Snake Demons. "I told you that you wouldn't get hurt. I'm going to live up to that. Go. Hurry." Ichigo said. The two Snake Adults grabbed their son, and raced off, towards the western exit. Rukia whirled on Ichigo, and slapped him across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground, holding the side of his head that now held a throbbing pain.

"You little Mutt! They had more information, I know it!" Rukia snapped in pure anger.

"They did not! They told you everything they knew! And then you had the nerve to go and threaten the only son that has survived! What the hell is wrong with you and your race? All humans are IDIOTS!" Ichigo screamed back, climbing to his feet, and pointing a finger at the smaller girl. Rukia whacked it aside with the flat of her blade, making the finger crack uncomfortably.

"Don't go pointing your finger at me, you damn Dog! You're nothing! Your entire race is nothing! All _Demons _are nothing! You are all just evil, mindless animals that can do nothing but kill! You're the stupid ones, and we Humans are the superior ones! Don't you DARE point at me!" Rukia spat at the Wolf.

"Oh _you're _the superior race? Then why is my kind the one that has the Hogyoku? Why are we the ones with the power to make the weapon that gave you Hunters your stupid weapons from the Sogyoku? Why are _we _the ones that can escape horrible injuries while you Humans die from a _paper cut?_" Ichigo yelled, his voice rising with each word. "Face it, you damn Hunter! We Demons are the ones that beat you Humans _any _day!" Rukia suddenly punched Ichigo in the jaw, sending him crashing into a tree. Rukia's eye twitched as she was practically smoking from the ears. Before Ichigo could do anything, he was chained to a tree with only one foot to move in any direction, and right on the edge of groove of trees. Rukia then began to storm away.

"Let's see how well you fare with being tied to a tree for five days with no food or water, Mutt!" Rukia yelled over her shoulder. "Tatsuki, Orihime, come on!" Rukia ordered. The two girls scampered after the shorter girl as Ichigo straightened his body, and leaned back against the tree he was chained to, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Even though she's a midget female Human, she's still got a really hard punch." Ichigo grumbled as he wiped the blood from his fist, to his dirty pants. _I wonder if she's really going to be leaving me here for five days. _Ichigo said, then paused.

'_I wouldn't doubt it.' _Said a deep voice from, seemingly, somewhere off to Ichigo's right. Ichigo just nodded his head without much thought.

_**:::Five Days Later:::**_

Rukia walked towards where she had tied up the Demon. She would never admit it…but her investigation of the Hogyoku had gone…horribly. She hadnt found one person who knew anything, or what she was even talking about. She didn't exactly want to say it…but…she needed the Mutt to help her sniff out the Cat demons that the Snakes had mentioned. So when she was heading towards the area the Wolf was chained up, she almost ran, excided about finding the Hogyoku before any other Hunter. When the spot came into sight, what she saw…shocked her. Blood was all over the ground, and the Wolf was sprawled on the grass, cuts covering his body, and a dagger pinning his right shoulder to the dirt. His eyes were closed, and it wasn't just because of the blood that was running into his eyes from the cut on his forehead. The grass around the Wolf's body was torn to shreds, and spears and swords covered in the dark blood of a demon covered the sharp, cold metal. The three females just stared with shock, before Orihime and Tatsuki ran to the Wolf. "Ichigo!" The gasped.

_Ichigo? Who the hell is that? _Rukia thought to herself as she watched the two girls help the Wolf into a sitting position.

"Ow." He muttered as his fingers brushed the hilt of the dagger. "You think that's gonna leave a mark?" Ichigo asked sarcastically.

"What happened to you?" Tatsuki asked worriedly,

"This is what happens when you leave a Demon chained to a tree for five days." Ichigo responded, glancing to Rukia shortly. She looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes.

_Why do I feel guilty? He's a demon! _Rukia thought to herself, before a yelp reached her ears. She turned back to Ichigo, who was cradling the hilt of the dagger.

"Don't do that!" Ichigo yelped. Tatsuki wiped her hand free of the demon blood on the grass.

"Well, you cant walk through Kyoto with a dagger in your shoulder!" Tatsuki insisted.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that you can just go and pull it out!" Ichigo protested, wrapping his fingers around the hilt of the dagger. "I can do that on my own." He suddenly ripped the knife from his shoulder with a sickening squelch, and threw it to the ground. He covered the hole with the heel of his palm. He glanced to Rukia, before looking down to her feet. "We leaving? Did you find the other Demons?" Ichigo asked.

"…no, we didn't…we're still looking." Rukia said slowly, before unhooking the chain from the tree. But instead of putting the cuff on her wrist, she just held it. "Come on." She said. Ichigo staggered to a stand, and followed behind her, still clutching his wound. She suddenly turned into a large brick building, and walked up to the counter. She whispered to the lady behind the wooden desk, who suddenly jumped up, and raced out of the room. She returned seconds later, with a man dressed in expensive clothes following. She pointed to Rukia and then Ichigo, and talked quietly and quickly. The man nodded, before looking to Ichigo.

"You're a Demon, correct?" The man asked. Ichigo nodded slowly. The man then smiled, and clapped his hands together. "Good. Just confirming it! I know for a fact that Demons have a different body makeup then we Humans do, and that's really important in my line of work! Now! What kind of Demon are you?" The man asked.

"…Wolf." Ichigo replied in a low voice. The man clapped excitedly. _Oh my god…if he tries to kick me in the face…he might be my dad's twin_. Ichigo thought.

"Oh really? A Wolf? I havent seen a Wolf in a long time! What pack are you from? SnowPack? MountainPack?" The man asked. Ichigo shook his head.

"LunarPack. In the Moon Territory." Ichigo responded.

_Moon Territory? There's actually living creatures in that area? And Demons have Packs and Clans? _Rukia thought.

"Oooo! I didn't know there was a LunarPack. I've heard rumors, but never actually proof! Anyway, my name's Mr. Aki. I'm the Doctor of Kyoto, and I've treated Demons before. You'll be good as new before you know it." Mr. Aki said, and then waved his hand behind him. "Why don't you follow me? Ms. Kuchiki and your friends can wait out here." Mr. Aki said. Ichigo looked between Rukia and the man. Rukia nodded and waved her hand towards the man. With a deep inhale of breath, Ichigo followed the doctor away. Once the door closed behind them, Rukia wiped her hands on her hakama pants.

"I'll be right back." She said, and then left.

_**:::An Hour Later:::**_

After an hour, Rukia, Orihime, and Tatsuki were allowed to see Ichigo as he sat in a bed in a room. As soon as they entered the room, Ichigo turned his gaze to Rukia. "What are you playing at?" Ichigo asked, trying to keep back a growl from his voice. "Why did you do this for me?"

"Because. It's my fault you got hurt, and…and…" Rukia said, then bit her bottom lip. "And you're…you're not like…I felt guilty!" Rukia improvised. Ichigo blinked as Rukia turned around. "If I hadnt snapped like that, and hadnt left you there, then you'd be fine, and you wouldn't have to be in a Hospital, and you wouldn't be like you are now, and we could probably be on our way back to Headquarters with the Hogyoku by now." Rukia said. All was silent.

"Thank you." Ichigo mumbled. Rukia looked over her shoulder.

"Huh?" She asked, slightly shocked.

"Mr. Aki said that I could have bled to death. Thank you." Ichigo repeated. Rukia tossed a bundle at Ichigo, and then walked out of the room.

"Get better fast. We're leaving in two days." Rukia said over her shoulder. Ichigo looked at the bundle, and pulled it apart. He blinked down with shock at what was held in his hands, and then read the note that was in the middle.

_Get well soon, Wolf._

_**:::The Next Day:::**_

Ichigo walked out of the room he had been in, and stretched. That had been the first night in years that he had slept in a real bed, and it had felt _great_. He looked down at the bundle that Rukia had thrown at him the day before. She had given him new clothes, and, compared to everything else she had thrown at him over the years, this was the best. He now had an burnt-orange hakama that hid his tail, and a white kimono top. Tied in his hair was a black bandana, covering his ears. He actually looked…Human. It was a little weird. Rukia walked around the corner, snapping the cuff of the chain back around her wrist. She looked up at Ichigo. "Does it fit?" She asked. Ichigo nodded uncertainly. "Good. You shouldn't get attacked by Humans anymore, and your Demon scent will hold off other Demons." Rukia said.

"Uh…thanks." Ichigo said again. She just nodded.

"Do you think you can find the Cats?" She asked. Ichigo's nose twitched, and his pupils narrowed into thinner slits as he caught the scent of Cat. Ichigo nodded.

"Yeah, I can. In fact…they're close." Ichigo said. Rukia jumped up and down, squealing happily.

"Lead us there then." She said, quickly composing herself. Ichigo stared down with wide eyes.

"Uh…alright?" He responded, and led the group out of the Hospital. He weaved through the road, until he suddenly reached down, and pulled up a silver domestic cat that screeched and to claw his arm to shreds. He just held the cat out of the way by the scruff of its neck. "Hey. I know that you're a Demon." Ichigo said. The cat stopped hissing, and then sniffed the air.

"**And you're a Wolf." **The cat spoke as Rukia, Orihime, and Tatsuki finally caught up. **"What do you want?" **Ichigo looked down to the other five cats that the first silver female had been with. He looked back to the cat.

"One question. Do you have the Hogyoku?" Ichigo asked. The cat's eyes widened, before narrowing.

"**Why? You're chained to a Hunter; why should we tell you anything?"** The cat asked. Ichigo's eyes narrowed, and he held a claw to the cat's throat.

"You know…living around Hunters for a few years, you pick up on some Human interrogation techniques. I don't have a sword…but I do have claws." Ichigo said. The cat's eyes widened again.

"**No, we don't have the Hogyoku. We're just carrying a decoy so others wont find the original location. And no, we don't know where the original location is." **The Cat replied. Ichigo dropped the Cat, and turned to Rukia.

"Sorry. Looks like it was a dead end." Ichigo said. Rukia scowled at the ground, before turning.

"Oh well…I'll send word to Headquarters, and see what they want us to do. Come on…looks like we have to go find an Inn that takes Demons." Rukia said. Ichigo's eyes widened before he was jerked along behind Rukia. "Sorry." She muttered.

_An Inn that takes Demons? I'm staying in an Inn, not outside? Damn, she must feel pretty guilty. _Ichigo thought as he followed along behind her. He smiled slightly. _Maybe I should get hurt more often._

Told you. It was like a filler chapter. The next update is going to be Vulpes Alveus. I'm going on Vacation to Michigan (Bet you don't care where I'm going! But you will! There's no Wireless Internet there! Le Gasp!) from the 18 till the 29, so I wont be updating…at all. Unless my family MIRACULOUSLY got a computer at the house, then I wont have any chance to put anything up. Alright…it's 1:06 as I finish this…right, night, bye.

_~Kitsune-242_


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